Monday, March 29, 2010

PESTA SUKAN KEMENTERIAN KEWANGAN

The latest news, Bank Negara Malaysia is the host of this event for the year 2010 and had included chess as one of its event. Chess will be competed from 14 to 16th July 2010. More details will be revealed later.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Controversies

Yesterday was a day with something new for me to write on this blog. I was invited by the IA Abdul Latiff Mohamed through the phone to participate in the Bloggers Special at Catur Hari Wilayah Persekutuan DBKL 2010.

In the tournament, I discovered that only I (Rizal's Chess Trading) and another blogger Norazlin Juarih (Bad Bishop) turned up. The good thing is that, I should have no big trouble to win the cash prize, since I need only to mantain my level above my only rival. The bad thing is that, the organizer tends to cut off the price and redelegate it into the other categories.

Subsequently, the organizer had to include me and the other blogger to play together in the same pool with the open categories. I had achieved 3 full points when I was paired against a well known player (I shall refrain myself from stating his name). The game was winning for me. At one point, I have an extra Bishop (Rook+Bishop+3 connected pawns against Rook+ 3 isolated pawns).

Suddenly my opponent lifted the clock as if he was tightening the clock's "lock" button. Thinking that, what he had been doing was only to make sure that the clock did not stop, I somehow forgot to look at the needles of my and my opponent's clocks. However, as soon as my opponent put the clock, another player who was watching my game (Subramaniam Sivanesan) exclaimed loudly, "Mister, just now you have 10 minutes on your clock!". And my opponent flatly denied, "mana ader.." (means no there's no such thing).

I looked at my clock and found that, I had merely only 5 minutes, while my opponent had about 15 minutes (The time control was 20 minutes)

In a state of confusing and full of puzzled, I continued the game like someone who had just learn how to play chess reaching the folowing position.

Now, simply (and obviously) 1..f6 should keep the winning advantage. However, as I could not think straight, I hurriedly (inexplicably) played the worst blunder 1..Kf6 and promptly answered by 2.g5+ winning my Bishop and consequenltly i did not able to stop the suddenly strong pawn from Queening.

I immediately approached the arbiter's table and tell them what had just happened. Eventually I discovered that the IA was at a corner of the hall and I got him to listen to my case.

In my case, the game, by right, should be stopped by me as soon as the independent witness interfered, to investigate the basis of his claim. What was obvious is that, my opponent had deliberately lifted up the clock and quietly (unexpectedly) executed his mala fide intention to adjust his opponent's time giving himself some chances to win the game by time.

I admited, in a state of confusion, I failed to comply with the requirement to lodge a proper complain. However, the dirty plot had been eyewitnessed and backed up by some affirmation from the colleagues of this dirty player that he had done and had actually habitually practised this dirty tactic in previous occassions.

I had to admit my defeat but my friends in the hall keep supporting me to proceed with the official complaint and leave it to the IA to decide.

Finally, the result is out, and it was confirmed that, this particular player emerged as the champion, while, I, luckily, had able to hold my nerve and scored the remaining 2 points to claim my 2nd place with 5 points, ahead of another player Kabber Azad Mohd Kassim, who was also with 5 points, but I had better tie break score and in fact, I beat him in round 1.

(obviously, I was in the second place from the original result - picture taken from GiloCatur website)

Surprisingly, the organizer announced me as the winner and disqualifying the winner not due to my complain, but due to the other reason, that is, he has FIDE rating of 1816 and thus negated him to qualify to participate in this tournament which only allows the rating of 1600. "I think he should had learned the lesson well today, not to cheat"- said one of the players after the end of the prize giving ceremony.

Why must we played chess using the dirty means to win? After all this is a game for the gentlemen. The win should be with full of dignity.

Let alone if we are talking about halal and haram in Islamic perspective. Anything that obtained from illegal means will jeopardise the mubah or halal. Think, if this money is then given to the wife, or son, or daughter of ours... they will soon grew and become corrupted as the flesh and blood was mixed with non-permissible means of source of cash.

After all, the community of chess is too small for someone to practise dirty and illegal tricks, instead of winning it with full of dignity. This reminds me a world class player which I shall quote below from the WIKIPEDIA:Perhaps Matulović's most notorious transgression was against Istvan Bilek at the Sousse Interzonal in 1967. He played a losing move, then took it back after saying "j'adoube" ("I adjust" - used to adjust pieces on their square, see Touch-move rule). His opponent complained to the arbiter, but the move was allowed to stand. This incident earned Matulović the nickname "J'adoubovic."

Matulović was convicted of vehicular manslaughter and served nine months in prison for a car accident in which a woman was killed.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

BULETIN CATUR MAKSAK 2009

I had just finished keying in the MAKSAK 2009 chess games. Overall about 232 games. The price should be in the range of RM15 to RM 20. For early booking, sms to me 0192421346. Please inform anuone who may be interested.

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

SUKAN KEWANGAN 2010

I received a news from Roslan Jais (KWSP chess and dart manager) saying that, this year, Sukan Kewangan which shall be hosted by Bank Negara shall includes chess as one of its games. The last time chess has been included was 2004 when KWSP was the host and simultaneously defended their title as the champion.

(Picture and logo of BNM taken from the web via google image search for illustrative purpose)

I involved with this event for the first time in 2002 when BSN as the favourite easily clinched the gold medal. However, in 2003, they lost their title to KWSP when Customs Department hosted this event. Meanwhile, as for the Customs, we (myself and my team mates) mantain our status quo as the silver medalist for 3 consercutive years. The last time however, most of the best board winners were from the Customs (including me on board one ahead of Abang Mohd Reduan of BSN - he lost to Mohd Rozali of LHDN).

Our main problem is however, to find a strong female player that not only strong but willing to learn and play chess for the Customs Department. It is extremely difficult to find even one female from Customs which fulfills this criteria. Unless, the host decided not to make fielding a female player as a compulsory, than this shall be a real chance to wrest the gold medal for us.

On the contrary, making such term, not compulsory to field a female player shall kill the career or at least the progress of some female chess players from certain departments under Ministry of Finance.

I actually prefer to put such condition where the female has their place in chess.

Monday, March 08, 2010

It is safe for me to say that I am a champion of Putrajaya 2010. Alhamdulillah... and nice 500 bucks.

I was seeded as the top seeding in this match despite the defending champion Hairulov did participate in this very same tournament.

Frankly speaking, my preparation was specifically to anticipate (predict) Hairulov's possible openings (the London, Barry attack, King Indian Fianchettoe) and defences systems Scandinavian Qd6, Slav central variation. That were all that I had managed to read. However, preparing against Hairulov alone who had experiences a vast repertoire of opening systems and defence systems is not easy, and I did not able to prepare all of them. Therefore, the risk management approach is used here.

However, seeing Hairulov unexpectedly lost to the Hariz Syami in the crucial 5 rounds, made my preparation remain unused. On the othe hand, facing Hariz who was also with 5 points in the penultimate final round means that I had no choice but to win the game. Actually, the arbiter had printed out the standings which shows that, I would win the tournament (even if I draw) by the tie break, but it would not be a true champion to share the same point and yet wins more money (it is quite unfair somehow).

I was fortunate to have the white pieces. Therefore, without ample time to worry, I just pushed my e-pawn two steps and it was the beginning of the final victory!

Friday, March 05, 2010

Malaysian Women In Chess - part 2

As promised, I present some of the interesting point in my personal collection of game against the female chess players in Malaysia. Let me begin with Alia Anin Azwa Bakri who became the 1st champion of sukan wanita in 2007 and I must consider this as the greatest achivement as this event carries biggest number of participants of female chess players. Even in National closed, the largest number of participants, as far as I concerned from my involvement since 1999 to 2006, had never achieved more than 16 players!

About 10 years before the above game I have a nice win against the Uzbek's WFM Irina Gorshkova (at that time FIDE rated 2115) considering at that time, I was unrated.

In the diagram, I had just played 20..f6 with the intention of giving the black square Bishop a route to retreat to e8 if needed and stopping any possible invasion via Ne5. To my surprise, she played the horrible 21.b4 which I prompted reply with 21...Nc3 winning white's Queen. Seeing this, Gorshkova resigned immediately.

Another nice victory was against Khairunnisa Wahiduddin. The Event was Merdeka (Rapid) 2005. I still remember that my opponent was quite surprise when I took out scoresheet to record this game, considering it is only a rapid game. But it was a rapid with increment! Therefore, why should hurry?

After 25. fxe5 fxe5 26. Re1 we reached a very critical point (D)26...exd4!I confess that, during this game, I had seen the combination right up to the end, thus I ignored my knight

27. Rxe4 dxc3+ 28. Kf1 b5 29. Rxa4This was what I had been anticipated.29...c2! not 29... bxa4 30. bxc3 and white may play on

Before I stop, (I may continue with Malaysian Women In Chess - part 3) I present here my only encounter against our most outstanding WFM. At that time, she was only an NWM, but she was already very strong.

The event was the Malay Masters 2000 [Round "5"] which I participated for the first and last time, as this was no longer exhist in our local chess calendar. (Some other tournament whic had also reached the extinct status are: Malay open, Dato' Sabbaruddin Chik (Sactor) team open (organized by UIAM), and Labour Day team tournament (used to be Arab-Malaysian Labour Day) )

In this occassion, Siti Zulaikha answered my 1. e4 with 1.. e5, already a small surprise considering that Ismail Ahmad used to tell me, Siti had never played anything else except what he taught, the modern / pirc defence.

After 2. Nf3, I was even more surprise to the reply 1...Nf6. I still remember that, during that time, I had extensively studied the Petroff due to my anticipation of facing the strong Azhari Md Nor who, during that time employed the Petroff regularly. (We did met in the last round, but he switched to the Sicilian and we agreed for a short draw)

Siti Zulaikha tried her best to win back some material, but from this point I had seen the coming 2 pawns marching theme.28. Bxf4 Bh5 29. Bg3 I just ignore the Rook and keep my small material edge29...Bxd1 30. Rxd1 Rc5 31. d6 Qc8 32. Qb3+ Kh7 33. e6 Rc3 34.Qb1+ Kh8 35. e7 1-0

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Malaysian Women In ChessWhen I am writing this, it is already known that the first Malaysian Woman Masters final shall be held very soon and it is between Alia Anin Azwa and Nur Nabila Azman Hisham. I had met Alia twice in the local competition. It was a draw in our first encounter and I won the second one quite nicely despite it was a rapid game in Merdeka team tournament. Meanwhile, I had never faced Nur Nabila across the board, but his father, Azman Hisham is one of my good friends at chess.

I have some fine recollection against the women players in Malaysia. I had beat IWM Irina Gorshkova (She is actually an Uzbekistan. The encounter took place in Terengganu Open 1997), NWM Nurul Huda, NWM Khairunnisa, NWM (at that time) Siti Zulaikha. However, I suffered a defeat in the hand of WCM Nurshazwani and only managed to draw gainst her in the second encounter. Against NWM Roslina Marmono in the recent DATCC 2nd league team tournament ended with a draw. I used to beat her sister Mardiana Marmono, a few years back.

Some other names need to be mentioned here are Zeti Ajemi, Samantha Lee, Haslindah Ruslan and Hazuin Hussain, whom I used to beat all of them. If the chess enthusiast may remember, Effaliana (the sibling of Effalini) is also one of the most bitter rival in the early days of my chess career (if I can so call it a career).

However, during the prime time of some of notable names such as IWM Audrey Wong, Seto Wai Ling, Geraldine John Putra, J.Punithavathy, NWM Eliza Hanum, NWM Eliza Hanim; despite having been in the same tournament (some of them) I had never faced them across the board and therefore there is no recollection of their games against me.

I also used to train several female chess players when I was at the University (UIAM). Most of them are no longer in contact with the chess pieces. Some of them are Azrina Torman, Amal Farhah, Faizah Khamis, Salizatul Aizah, Nadiaa Zamil, Nurul Hikmah and Nurhaliza Zainal. However, only Mumtaz Muhammad (sibling of Mizan Muhammad) had the real chance to become the NWM when she had the crushing winning position against Siti Zulaikha in one of the National Closed series a few years back (She lost the game at the end). The last news was she had safely delivered a baby. I think, hoping her to re-emerge into the local scene is something next to impossible.

I also used to coach one of a KL players (MSSMKL) Shalini, privately.

And in the latest female pupils are from the OKUs. They are Nur Fieqha, Norain Fatihah, Athirah, Nini, Aqilah Syahirah, Intan Juliana. Of course not to forget, I did share my knowledge (not directly coaching) with the coaches of Para games KL09 athletes; Roslina Marmono and Asmah Ahmad Hambadley.

- To be continued with my games against the very best female chess players-

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

In round 5, my personal encounter was against Azrul Aminurrasyid Abu Bakar (pic) from the team UPSI Grand. From my point of view, it is a model game on how to refute an unothodox opening.

Azrul Aminurrasyid Abu Bakar -

Rizal A Kamal (2000)

[A01] Nimzowitsch Larsen openingUM Open Tun Syed Zahiruddin (5), 20101.e3 already a samll surprise, but as this is a rapid game (25 minutes) therefore I could not react slowly and proceeded naturally heading for the King Indian set piece formation.

After 1...Nf6 2.b3 g6 3.Bb2 Bg7 4.Bc4 I decided to change to the Gruenfeld formation by playing 4...d5

Here, I decided to sacrifice a pawn 10...e4 11.Bf1 d4! for the innitiative

12.Nce2 Nd5 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 14.exd4 Nf4! 15.c3

White tried to hang onto his extra pawn

15..b6! A nice little finnesse with the intention of fianchettoeing the Bishop and simultaneously completing the development. 15...Nd3+ is premature as 16.Bxd3 exd3+ 17.Kf1 and black has nothing special to show.

16.Qc2 but now, thing had been a little different, and yet it gave me the nice shot 16...Nd3+! see the right diagram

17.Ke2 Qf6! 18.Nxe4 Nxf2! The white King had walked straight into an absolute pin

19.Bg2 Nxh1 A Rook for a knight? Why not?

20.Bxh1 Bb7 21.Rf1 Qe6

22.d3 f5 23.gxf5 gxf5 24.Rg1 fxe4

During the game, I was worried about the possible combination beginning with 25.d5 Qxd5? 26.Rxg7+ Kxg7 and 27.c4+ winning black's Queen. However, after the game, I saw the correct reply to 25.d5, that is to play 25...exd3++ (Double check!)

Reaching the above position, with a pawn down and I was down to my last less than 5 minutes against IM Mas Hafizulhelmi, Malaysia no.1 player, I just put 1...Bf2 when Mas, after a few seconds or so thought bashed out 2.g4!? which somehow stunned me. I was only expected 2.g3.

Immediately I erred by playing 2...Bg3? and Mas calmly retreated his Rook 3.Rd2 and in this desperate time trouble and a few hanging pieces I desperado the Rook to no avail 3..Rxe5 4.fxe5 and lost a piece and the game in a few more moves.

After the game, Mohd Irman, who was playing on board two (Mas' 2nd board team mate) asked me, I saw ...Bf2 and seemed like black could win. I paused for a moment, because in a short post morterm after the game with Mas, we did not come to this point, instead focussing on the opening strategy innacuracy (black did not play ..g6 as early as possible).

True after the correct 2...Ng3+ 3.Kg2 Nxe4 Black might had won because 4.Qxe4 loses to 4..Qxg5+ 5.Kxf2 and 5...Qxd7 winning the exchange. But I suspect, as Mas have sufficient time on his clock, he may found 4.Rxb7 (instead of 4.Qxe4?) and suddenly all black pieces are hanging. Now not 4...f5?? which loses on the spot to 5.Qb3+, but 4..Nc5. If 5.Rc7 Ne6 and it is clear that black is hanging on a very tight rope

Early today I participated in the Kejohanan Catur Kolej Tun Zahiruddin. I brought my colleagues in the Customs Department. I decided to expose and indirectly force them to join the real training of chess. As expected, the outcome was not an outstanding achievement, however, to be ranked at the 20th placed among 44 other teams, without any preparation, training or whatsoever, is something to be praised as a modest achievement.

14. Kastam DiRaja Malaysia (13 Pts./6MP)

Bo.

Name

Rtg

FED

1

2

3

4

5

6

Pts

Gam.

%

Rtg-Ø

1

Rizal Ahmad Kamal

1995

MAS

1

0

1

1

1

1

5

6

83.3

1737

2

Mohd Khairie Mazlan

0

MAS

1

0

1

0

1

0

3

6

50.0

1693

3

Rosli Husin

1484

MAS

1

0

1

0

0

0

2

6

33.3

1600

4

Azizan Abdul Aziz

1367

MAS

1

0

1

0

1

0

3

6

50.0

1600

It is true that, only I remain semi active in the national level. My personal score is 5/6, well... not bad. I lost to Malaysia no.1, IM Mas Hafizulhelmi. He has his own class. I shall analysed some of the important positions in my games later.